Parma Hts. sues developer McGill

Thursday, July 03, 2008

By Tara Quinn tquinn@sunnews.com

Parma Sun Post

PARMA HEIGHTS Mayor Martin Zanotti filed a lawsuit for the
city against Matt McGill of McGill properties for letting
the Greenbriar Crossing development, formerly Cornerstone,
remain in such dismal condition, June 26.

McGill just received notice of the lawsuit Monday and would
not comment on this story.

The two parties will appear in Parma Municipal Court but a
date has not been scheduled yet. If found guilty, the court
may assess fines to the developer.

Zanotti said, "We will no longer wait as the developer
has had significant opportunity to fix these problems. The
city has endured anguish over this site and we will insist
these violations are remedied."

The city wants the property cleared, grass and trees
planted on the mounds, common grading done, the parking
garage gone, the mounds of stones gone and new construction
to start.

In the letter to McGill's attorney, Dale Markowitz of
Thrasher, Dinsmore & Dolan, city Law Director Michael
Pokorny wrote, "This property is an eyesore. The
residents deserve more from your client than to have to look
at this blighted property day after day.

"The mayor is constantly required by the residents to
answer for your client's inability to remediate the
property to an acceptable condition. It appears that it is
now time for your client to answer in court for allowing
this property to remain in such a horrid condition."

McGill had been repeatedly notified about the conditions of
the site but the city delayed taking this course of action
because efforts were being made to correct the violations.
The deadline passed without any improvements, so the city
filed the lawsuit.

So far, McGill Properties has invested approximately $7
million. Zanotti said the finished product would represent
several hundred thousand dollars a year in tax revenues for
the city.

Parma Hts. sues developer McGill

Thursday, July 03, 2008

By Tara Quinn tquinn@sunnews.com

Parma Sun Post

PARMA HEIGHTS Mayor Martin Zanotti filed a lawsuit for the
city against Matt McGill of McGill properties for letting
the Greenbriar Crossing development, formerly Cornerstone,
remain in such dismal condition, June 26.

McGill just received notice of the lawsuit Monday and would
not comment on this story.

The two parties will appear in Parma Municipal Court but a
date has not been scheduled yet. If found guilty, the court
may assess fines to the developer.

Zanotti said, "We will no longer wait as the developer
has had significant opportunity to fix these problems. The
city has endured anguish over this site and we will insist
these violations are remedied."

The city wants the property cleared, grass and trees
planted on the mounds, common grading done, the parking
garage gone, the mounds of stones gone and new construction
to start.

In the letter to McGill's attorney, Dale Markowitz of
Thrasher, Dinsmore & Dolan, city Law Director Michael
Pokorny wrote, "This property is an eyesore. The
residents deserve more from your client than to have to look
at this blighted property day after day.

"The mayor is constantly required by the residents to
answer for your client's inability to remediate the
property to an acceptable condition. It appears that it is
now time for your client to answer in court for allowing
this property to remain in such a horrid condition."

McGill had been repeatedly notified about the conditions of
the site but the city delayed taking this course of action
because efforts were being made to correct the violations.
The deadline passed without any improvements, so the city
filed the lawsuit.

So far, McGill Properties has invested approximately $7
million. Zanotti said the finished product would represent
several hundred thousand dollars a year in tax revenues for
the city.